Teachers stay the course, despite education uproar

Fourth-grade teacher Brooke Lawson welcomes her students to the first day of school at Hendersonville Elementary on July 14. The 2014-15 school year started on the 14th for 900 children who attend Henderson County Public Schools' two year-round schools, Hendersonville and Bruce Drysdale elementaries.

MIKE DIRKS/TIMES-NEWS

By MOLLY MCGOWANTimes-News Staff Writer

Published: Sunday, August 3, 2014 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, July 31, 2014 at 7:54 p.m.

Despite the tumultuous times educators have faced recently in North Carolina, teachers are not fleeing the public schools in Henderson and Transylvania counties.

Polk County schools, however, saw a significant number of teachers jumping the border to work in South Carolina.

With North Carolina ranking 47th in the nation in overall teacher pay, and the state's indecision about the Common Core and teacher tenure this past year, some educators were debating whether to stick with the profession.

But according to preliminary 2013-14 school year data submitted by Henderson County Public Schools, fewer teachers left the system than in 2012-13, and a large number of those who left retired with full benefits.

“We had about 110 teachers leave the school system for various reasons,” said Bo Caldwell, assistant superintendent for administrative services and former senior director for human resources. About 24 of those teachers retired with full benefits, Caldwell said.

Another 18 teachers left to teach in another North Carolina public school system, said Caldwell, and the third most common reason for resignations was family relocation.

“Our numbers are basically the same” as in previous years, Caldwell said, adding that official teacher turnover numbers won't be released by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction until October. Still, he said, “It looks like a small decrease from last year.”

During the 2012-13 school year, 123 teachers left HCPS, according to NCDPI teacher turnover reports. That number was an increase from the 2011-12 school year, when only 94 left the system.

Transylvania County Schools saw about 35 teachers leave by the end of the 2013-14 school year, up from 20 in 2012-13, according to the NCDPI reports.

“That was a large number for us,” said Kevin Smith, TCS' community relations coordinator.

However, that number includes 14 teachers retiring and only 22 resigning for other reasons, and the resignation numbers don't “seem unusual” to Smith.

Some of those who've left local schools haven't ended their teaching careers, but instead opted to teach in a state that pays more, such as South Carolina.

Polk County Schools saw more teacher turnover this year than usual, according to Superintendent Bill Miller, with several teachers leaving for South Carolina. He said 10 teachers retired, five left to teach in another North Carolina public school system, three switched careers entirely and seven left to teach in another state.

“We've never really had that happen before. But that's what these (teachers) are doing,” Miller said, referring to Polk County teachers leaving for greener pastures in South Carolina. “We're on the border, so that affects it. Last year I had to beg a couple of teaching fellows to stay in Polk County, because they could drive six miles to Landrum High School (in Spartanburg County School District 1) and make $10,000 more.”

The superintendent of Spartanburg County School District 1 was unavailable for comment Thursday, but the director of public relations for Spartanburg County School District 2 — also on the state border — confirmed its schools are seeing more teachers commute from North Carolina.

“We have noticed a slight increase in the numbers of teachers from North Carolina,” said Rhonda Henderson, director of public relations for the district. “I'm not saying it was a flood. It was enough that we did notice the difference.”

Difficult choices

Spencer Linn and his wife, both teachers, considered leaving Fletcher to work in another state. But Linn, 26, decided to change professions instead.

He taught math at Hendersonville High for four years and was the assistant baseball coach for five, before resigning at the end of the 2013-14 school year to handle the financing and accounting for East-West Trucking.

Linn made the decision to work for the family business after continued frustration with the state's teacher pay freeze, increased class sizes and changes to curriculum and Common Core.

“When the state makes a decision, we feel it two times. We've kind of been hit twice,” Linn said. “My wife and I were looking at teaching in other states,” he added, but “We'd rather not pick up and move,” since they're currently living so close to family.

“The staff and Mr. Wilkins there (at HHS) are some of the best people I know,” he said. “Leaving them was a tough choice. It kind of came down to a career change or moving out of state.”

It's yet to be seen if North Carolina's recently released budget bumping up teacher pay causes the state to hang on to local teachers who were contemplating leaving. Either way, former public school teachers — both retired and resigned — agree the state needs to make changes if it wants to retain the next wave of educators.

“Maybe if enough young people like myself get out of teaching, it'll send a message to the state,” Linn said.

Yet many local educators are still putting in 25, 30 years or more before leaving the field. Mike Norman, 56, of Hendersonville, retired this year after teaching for 26 years and coaching for 32.

“I actually did retire early,” he said. “I'm young enough that I knew even when I retired I'd have to supplement my income.”

So when the opportunity to teach fourth grade at Immaculata Catholic School arose, Norman jumped at the chance — since he wouldn't be able to teach in North Carolina public schools for at least six months after retiring.

“So I didn't really leave teaching,” he said, adding that he didn't choose private school for a pay increase. “It's actually a pay decrease,” though he will be drawing his state retirement while working in the private school.

Strong local support

Even though public school teachers have faced uncertainty in North Carolina for the past few years, Norman said it was the support of local administration, colleagues and the student body that kept him working in the school district for so long.

“Our particular area has a very good student population. We have people that want to learn and students that do what they're supposed to do,” he said. “It's easier to be a classroom teacher when there's good participation.”

Marcia Branson, 60, of Hendersonville, taught for 37 years, 33 of them with HCPS. She was hired in 1980 as a fifth-grade teacher at East Flat Rock Elementary, and also taught at Upward Elementary and Flat Rock Middle.

“I stayed right here for my career,” Branson said. “It was a hard decision to retire.”

Branson said she made the decision because she'd just turned 60, she needed to spend time with her elderly mother, and she wants to travel with her husband. “It's a stressful job — I won't deny that,” Branson said. “I did it because I loved teaching. And that's why it was difficult to leave.”

She said her decision to retire wasn't influenced by the current state of affairs in North Carolina; rather, it was just time.

“If I had to do it all over again, I'd do it exactly the same,” Branson said.

<p>Despite the tumultuous times educators have faced recently in North Carolina, teachers are not fleeing the public schools in Henderson and Transylvania counties. </p><p>Polk County schools, however, saw a significant number of teachers jumping the border to work in South Carolina. </p><p>With North Carolina ranking 47th in the nation in overall teacher pay, and the state's indecision about the Common Core and teacher tenure this past year, some educators were debating whether to stick with the profession. </p><p>But according to preliminary 2013-14 school year data submitted by Henderson County Public Schools, fewer teachers left the system than in 2012-13, and a large number of those who left retired with full benefits.</p><p>“We had about 110 teachers leave the school system for various reasons,” said Bo Caldwell, assistant superintendent for administrative services and former senior director for human resources. About 24 of those teachers retired with full benefits, Caldwell said. </p><p>Another 18 teachers left to teach in another North Carolina public school system, said Caldwell, and the third most common reason for resignations was family relocation. </p><p>“Our numbers are basically the same” as in previous years, Caldwell said, adding that official teacher turnover numbers won't be released by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction until October. Still, he said, “It looks like a small decrease from last year.”</p><p>During the 2012-13 school year, 123 teachers left HCPS, according to NCDPI teacher turnover reports. That number was an increase from the 2011-12 school year, when only 94 left the system.</p><p>Transylvania County Schools saw about 35 teachers leave by the end of the 2013-14 school year, up from 20 in 2012-13, according to the NCDPI reports.</p><p>“That was a large number for us,” said Kevin Smith, TCS' community relations coordinator.</p><p>However, that number includes 14 teachers retiring and only 22 resigning for other reasons, and the resignation numbers don't “seem unusual” to Smith.</p><p>Some of those who've left local schools haven't ended their teaching careers, but instead opted to teach in a state that pays more, such as South Carolina.</p><p>Polk County Schools saw more teacher turnover this year than usual, according to Superintendent Bill Miller, with several teachers leaving for South Carolina. He said 10 teachers retired, five left to teach in another North Carolina public school system, three switched careers entirely and seven left to teach in another state.</p><p>“We've never really had that happen before. But that's what these (teachers) are doing,” Miller said, referring to Polk County teachers leaving for greener pastures in South Carolina. “We're on the border, so that affects it. Last year I had to beg a couple of teaching fellows to stay in Polk County, because they could drive six miles to Landrum High School (in Spartanburg County School District 1) and make $10,000 more.”</p><p>The superintendent of Spartanburg County School District 1 was unavailable for comment Thursday, but the director of public relations for Spartanburg County School District 2 — also on the state border — confirmed its schools are seeing more teachers commute from North Carolina. </p><p>“We have noticed a slight increase in the numbers of teachers from North Carolina,” said Rhonda Henderson, director of public relations for the district. “I'm not saying it was a flood. It was enough that we did notice the difference.”</p><h3>Difficult choices</h3>
<p>Spencer Linn and his wife, both teachers, considered leaving Fletcher to work in another state. But Linn, 26, decided to change professions instead. </p><p>He taught math at Hendersonville High for four years and was the assistant baseball coach for five, before resigning at the end of the 2013-14 school year to handle the financing and accounting for East-West Trucking.</p><p>Linn made the decision to work for the family business after continued frustration with the state's teacher pay freeze, increased class sizes and changes to curriculum and Common Core.</p><p>“When the state makes a decision, we feel it two times. We've kind of been hit twice,” Linn said. “My wife and I were looking at teaching in other states,” he added, but “We'd rather not pick up and move,” since they're currently living so close to family. </p><p>“The staff and Mr. Wilkins there (at HHS) are some of the best people I know,” he said. “Leaving them was a tough choice. It kind of came down to a career change or moving out of state.”</p><p>It's yet to be seen if North Carolina's recently released budget bumping up teacher pay causes the state to hang on to local teachers who were contemplating leaving. Either way, former public school teachers — both retired and resigned — agree the state needs to make changes if it wants to retain the next wave of educators.</p><p>“Maybe if enough young people like myself get out of teaching, it'll send a message to the state,” Linn said.</p><p>Yet many local educators are still putting in 25, 30 years or more before leaving the field. Mike Norman, 56, of Hendersonville, retired this year after teaching for 26 years and coaching for 32.</p><p>“I actually did retire early,” he said. “I'm young enough that I knew even when I retired I'd have to supplement my income.”</p><p>So when the opportunity to teach fourth grade at Immaculata Catholic School arose, Norman jumped at the chance — since he wouldn't be able to teach in North Carolina public schools for at least six months after retiring.</p><p>“So I didn't really leave teaching,” he said, adding that he didn't choose private school for a pay increase. “It's actually a pay decrease,” though he will be drawing his state retirement while working in the private school.</p><h3>Strong local support</h3>
<p>Even though public school teachers have faced uncertainty in North Carolina for the past few years, Norman said it was the support of local administration, colleagues and the student body that kept him working in the school district for so long. </p><p>“Our particular area has a very good student population. We have people that want to learn and students that do what they're supposed to do,” he said. “It's easier to be a classroom teacher when there's good participation.”</p><p>Marcia Branson, 60, of Hendersonville, taught for 37 years, 33 of them with HCPS. She was hired in 1980 as a fifth-grade teacher at East Flat Rock Elementary, and also taught at Upward Elementary and Flat Rock Middle.</p><p>“I stayed right here for my career,” Branson said. “It was a hard decision to retire.”</p><p>Branson said she made the decision because she'd just turned 60, she needed to spend time with her elderly mother, and she wants to travel with her husband. “It's a stressful job — I won't deny that,” Branson said. “I did it because I loved teaching. And that's why it was difficult to leave.”</p><p>She said her decision to retire wasn't influenced by the current state of affairs in North Carolina; rather, it was just time. </p><p>“If I had to do it all over again, I'd do it exactly the same,” Branson said.</p><p>___</p><p>Reach McGowan at molly.mcgowan@BlueRidgeNow.com or 828-694-7871.</p><p>___</p><p>Follow Molly McGowan on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TNmollymcgowan</p>